


A Tale of Sun and Moon

by AnneSophie96



Category: Original Work
Genre: Dragons, Dreams, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Lesbians, Magic, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Polyamorous Character, Prophetic Dreams, Romance, Trans Character, Trans Female Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-28
Updated: 2019-09-28
Packaged: 2020-10-29 20:11:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20802284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnneSophie96/pseuds/AnneSophie96
Summary: The story of two mages – best friends, partners, lovers – who, after one of them makes the discovery of a lifetime, start off on an epic quest in order to discover ancient secrets and fulfill their destinies while they face off their enemies, forge lifelong friendships and relearn much of what they knew about each other and themselves.





	A Tale of Sun and Moon

**Author's Note:**

> I'm pretty new to writing, but this is a story I have been meaning to write for a long time now. Be warned that I have no fixed update schedule, and this is going to be exactly as long as I need it to be, so sit tight, because this is going to take a while!
> 
> Huge thanks to my friends and lovelies who continue to encourage me to write.

* * *

A warm symmar breeze caressed my arms, and I opened my eyes to look out onto the yard. A lone bee, despite the blazing sun, flitted across the pinks, purples and deep yellows of the flowerbed surrounding the well. The leaves of the chestnut tree trembled ever so slightly, making a soft rustling sound.

A game of chess lay abandoned on the table of the stone-tiled patio, and I saw Dana’s eyes gazing through the arches, lazily following the path of the bee. I leaned over, lifting the pitcher of chilled fruit-wine, and refilled my cup to the middle – measure was something I always held important, with a few small exceptions.

“Some more wine, love?”

She turned an amused smile in my direction, lifting her cup. “I’ve still got plenty, but thank you. I trust you are not trying to get me drunk, dear.”

I let out a soft chuckle, as I sat the pitcher back down on the table, slightly shaking my head. “I am confident in me being adept enough at chess not to need you inebriated to win,” I remarked, grinning. “Cheers!” I lifted my cup, nodding in her direction and taking a sip.

My gaze fell again on the well. It was old – very old, in fact. It must have been built even before the villa itself, as its stones were worn, crumbling and covered in moss. The bucket that hang on its rope spoke of woods that were felled maybe centuries ago, its colour a deep black, pieces moulded together from the passing of time.

It still drew water – the wheel was sturdy cast iron, the rope recently changed, a freshly beaten hemp, and the water it drew seemed clear – although nowadays it was used rather for washing clothes or watering the garden than anything else. Ever since the governor had the new piping system installed, its water regularly checked by court medics, people have abandoned their wells in favour of this new, safer alternative. Maybe the plagues of 320 and 325 lived still all too vividly in their memories.

“So,” she turned towards me, “have you figured out what those dreams of yours might mean?”

I winced slightly at that. “No,” I said. “Not yet, at least. Although, I am not entirely sure why you insist there has to be a meaning to them. I have a penchant it’s just my mind still trying to cope with what we saw when we dealt with that bog witch near Flatcrow last month.”

“You know that is not so.” She fixed me with a sterner gaze then. “Yes, I would not wish for my enemy to see what we did then, but you’ve had dreams for years now. It’s as if they were getting worse, is my problem.”

In that much, she was right.

***

Danae’thna slapped my arm with a stack of parchments she had been poring over for the past hour.

“Ray, are you even listening to me?”

I jumped slightly in my seat, and then tried my best to give my new friend a hurt look, failing miserably. “Look, I’m sorry, I – “

“Okay, come on, spit it out. You’ve been useless the whole day. What’s on your mind?”

I stammered for a second, then proceeded to shut my mouth in lack of a better thing to do. “It’s just… I’m not even sure. I just…,” I paused for a second, thinking of a way to put it, without her thinking me mad. “I had this weird dream last night.”

“I was walking in a field, grass dotted with summer flowers, high as my waist. I ran a hand over the top of them, breathing in the scent of the earth and the greens and the faint smell of cornflowers, glinting as azure jewels in the sun. Then I saw a woman in white, standing at the top of a hill, not far away from me. In my dream, I knew it was my mother, because she opened her arms, waiting for me.”

“I called out to her in a voice I did not recognize, gathered the hem of my dress and started running towards her, as if I had not seen her in ages. As I got nearer, the light grew stronger, until I couldn’t see anything but the blinding light.”

“And that is when I woke up,” I finished, looking down at my hands, finding them fiddling with the feather of my quill. I suddenly felt really embarrassed, as I looked up at Dana listening intently. “It is complete foolishness, I know, but I –”

“It is not,” she said, placing a hand over mine, stopping me from damaging my quill further. “It sounds like it was a nice dream. I do wonder though, was it really your mother you saw?”

I barked a laugh at that. “No,” I said. “My mother’s a heartless hag who never in my life has had a kind word for me.” I shook my head. “It’s what it is, isn’t it? Just a dream.”

She looked at me with a sad understanding in her eyes, and gave a soft sigh. “I know how it must feel like, but our assignment on malicious transformations is due to-morrow, so please,” she paused, “can we get it over with?”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right, I so don’t want to do a supplementary essay again,” I yawned, stretching my arms as far as they would go.

And thus, the Flower of the South and the second son of the Duke of Blaekwyd went back to their parchments.

***

Blaekwyd Castle lay at the feet of the Eagle Mountains, in the eastern reaches of the Queendom of Oryweyn. Carved halfway into steep rock, its chambers extended wide and deep into the earth, its walls sturdy and squat, built to weather both the elements and any sieges, were someone foolish enough to try and besiege it. In the roughly four hundred years it has stood, it has seen many a battle, yet there have been none that could breach it.

In the Founder’s 341st year, on a surprisingly cold day near the end of Symmar, in a room overlooking the valley, as the setting sun glazed the tops of the rustling pines in amber, a baby let out their first cry. As Lady Marion Blaekwyd finally lay back on her bed, exhausted from the exertions of giving birth to her second son, the midwives scurried around the chamber, changing towels, swaddling the newborn in a clean cloth and whisper-yelling at the maids to get more wood for the fireplace. As the baby was handed back to Lady Marion, she held him close to her chest.

“Call for my Lord Husband,” she told the closest midwife. The Lady was wearing a deep blue gown, and a weary, albeit content expression.

The midwife gave a nod and swiftly made her way out of the bedchamber. Her voice could then be faintly heard, as if she were arguing with one of the guardsmen stationed outside the door.

Lady Marion looked down at the child she was holding in her arms and smiled. It had been a difficult nine months, but the joy that poured out from her heart at the sight of her baby made it all worth it.

The midwife returned with a frown. “My Lady,” she began, wringing her hands, “Lord Blaekwyd is out for hunting, the guards say.”

Lady Blaekwyd turned an empty gaze toward her, then, after a moment, threw her head back in a fit of laughter.

“Of course he would be. Of course,” she said, once she calmed down. “Good. Then I shall name him myself.” At this, she paused for a second, lost in thought. Her face soon lit up, grinning widely as if she were committing some sort of mischief. “I shall name him Oderayn. After my grandfather, may he rest lightly. My dear Lord Husband never stood a chance against his wits.” Laughter bubbled up from her chest again, then her eyes settled back on her newborn. “I trust you will not disappoint either, little Ray.”

The baby lay calm in her arms, not bothering to answer.

***

The ship rocked wildly in the storm, the winds whipping waves over the blackened planks of the deck. The night sky was blind, but over the deafening roar, a cry could be heard from above.

“Port!”

After a few heartbeats, the door to the captain’s cabin swung open and out stepped a tall man, cursing the rain under his breath and pushing his hat on more firmly. He took the flight of stairs to the main deck, produced a tube from one of his deep pockets, and took a firm stance while peering through his telescope.

“_Thank be Anathi._ We are almost home.” The man had an almost black complexion, his hair a deep brown, curly and cropped short. He put the instrument away, rummaged around in one of his left pockets, and with a triumphant “A-ha!” pulled out his trusty old pipe. After fiddling with it for a minute and getting his flame blown out every time, he pocketed the item with a frustrated grunt. On the horizon, the lone light of the Tower of Zahrah could be made out, disappearing and re-emerging with the rhythm of the waves.

The captain of the Rosemary barked a command towards the first mate, then made his way back to his cabin, tipping the water out of his tricorne before stepping inside.

The horizon started to glow a deep purple as the downpour finally came to a halt, and the first lines of a city on the coast of Ja’qwr could be made out. The sun slowly rose over the horizon, painting the sky hues of pink and orange, its golden rays glinting off the bronze domes of the governor’s palace.

The bells had just struck half past six when the Rosemary pulled into port. While the deckhands were busy unloading the cargo, carts already waiting to stow the goods to the warehouse, the captain exchanged a few words with the quartermaster, then turned around and took the ramp swiftly down to the dock. He made his way over to the nearby stables, where the smell of hay and horses hung thickly in the air. After he fished out his coin pouch from one of his jacket’s inner pockets, handing a few silver pieces to the stableboy, he was led to a stall to the left, where his dapple grey mare greeted him with a soft whinny as he took her by the reins and led her outside. The fishing boats were also returning from sea, with seagulls making an enormous ruckus around them as they loaded their catch onto carts, to be taken to the market.

Once he was sitting on the horse, he tsk-d a few times, goading the mare with his heels until it broke into a trot, speeding past the fishermen and the docks, turning towards the heart of the city. His home would have been less than half an hour away by foot, but the letter he got by raven two weeks back was burning a hole in his pocket.

_“Our beautiful daughter was born yesternight. I have not named her yet, waiting for your return. I know the sea is vast and you are long ways from Zahrah, but please, hurry home. Love you always,_

_Your Tainu”_

He rounded the final corner in a cloud of dust, jumping off his horse and leading her though the arched gate of his home, where Rayesha greeted him and took the reins, the mare following the servant obediently. He sped forward, taking the stairs to the master’s quarters two steps at a time. At the top, he halted for a moment, holding his breath and listening for any sounds. Tainu and the baby had to be still asleep. Turning right, he quietly opened the door to the parlour, and when he saw no one inside, he continued towards the bedchamber. In the fireplace, the embers from the night before still glowed a dull orange, keeping the early Stillyr cold at bay.

He found the door to the bedchamber ajar. As he peeked inside, he saw the sleeping form of his wife, under white sheets, hid from his view partly by the deep red drapes of the large bed occupying the middle of the room. Slowly opening the door, he stepped inside, taking his coat and hat off as silently as possible and placing them on the nearest armchair. In the dim light seeping through the shutters, he could now make out the crib standing next to the bed.

He hesitated for a few heartbeats, but soon he was leaning over the side of the cradle, drinking in the sight of his firstborn daughter. She was indeed beautiful.

Just then, Tainu stirred and opened her eyes.

“Khad,” she whispered, sleep still clinging to her edges. Her lips turned to a bright smile. “_Anathi nayimashan._ Welcome home.”

“_Hala’mmu_, my love. It is good to be home,” Khadnar said, lowering himself onto the edge of the bed. He leaned over and pressed a kiss to Tainum’eah’s forehead. “I am sorry I could not come sooner.”

“I know. You are here now, is what matters,” she placed her hand on top of his.

“How have you been? How is our daughter doing?”

“Well enough,” she mused. “The little one wants to eat all the time, that is when she is not busy sleeping. It has been a bit tiring, frankly.”

The captain laughed softly at that. “I knew you would manage.”

“So…,” she began, turning more serious, “what shall we name her?”

Khad had been thinking about that question his entire journey, yet was no closer to an answer. “What would you like her to be like,” he asked finally, “when she grows up?”

“Smart. Kind, of course. Playful,” she replied after a moment in thought. “And beautiful. But that she already is,” she continued, drawing closer to the edge of the bed, as the baby gave a few soft whimpers, letting her impending awakening known.

“What about…,” he began, taking the child gently in his arms, “what about Danae’thna then?”

“Hmm. _Wise._ A name fit for a queen,” she smiled. “_Dana._”

The baby opened her eyes at that, but after a few seconds of taking in her surroundings, promptly fell asleep again.

“I believe that’s settled then,” he grinned, and laid Danae’thna ud-Zahrah back down in her crib.

**Author's Note:**

> Unapologetic character background setup in this one (mostly). Chapter 2 is already about a third of the way done and going to be a bit more exciting, promise!
> 
> You can hit me up at https://annesophiewashere.tumblr.com (in fact, you are welcome to do so!)


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